[NTLUG:Discuss] sbcglobal.net email

[Mike Hart]

Ma Bell broke up because Ma bell was trying to dictate
what you could/coudn't connect to the POTS network
with. "That answering machine wasn't licensed by us.
We're cutting your service off until you disconnect
it."

This sounds very very similar to the exact cause of
the whole telcom breakup. I thought the same thing
back when AT&T/Excite @ Home was requiring a valid
Microsoft license to connect your DSL (but at that
point they weren't the only game in town most places,
and clearly didn't win by competing.)  AT&T didn't
learn anything from the breakup.  Apparently the
'we're god' mentality hasn't been killed, and it's
crept in to SWB with the AT&T name. 

Only supporting Office is one thing, but 'requiring'
Office to use the service where there is no
competition sounds like good grounds for a lawsuit. 
When you run into this, be careful to listen for the
slight differences between what they support and any
official requirements to use a specific product. 


 
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